Potter, John Victor
Personal Information
Rank | F/S |
Forename(s) | John Victor |
Surname | Potter |
Gender | M |
Age | 22 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 27-07-1942 |
Next of Kin | Son of Vivan Potter and Florence Madge Potter (née Lake), of Kipling, Saskatchewan, Canada. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax II |
Serial Number | W1230 |
Markings | LQ-L |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Kiel War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | 3. H. 13. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 227 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | R/70841 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 4 |
Squadron | 405 (Vancouver) |
Trade | Observer |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | Adjacent to Village Windmill, Mill Rd, Great Gransden, Cambridgeshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Memorial Stone with inscribed Metal Plaque |
Memorial Text | Remembering 405 (Vancouver) Sqn. PFF at Gransden Lodge 1942 - 1945 |
Location | St. Bartholomew's Church, Great Gransden, Cambridgeshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Stained Glass Window, RoH and inscribed metal plaque |
Memorial Text | Commemorating the 801 airmen of 405 Sqn. RCAF who gave their lives 1941 - 1945 |
Location | Pocklington Gliding Club, Pocklington Airfield, East Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Marble Pillar and inscribed metal plaque |
Memorial Text | In memory of 102 (Ceylon) and 405 (Vancouver) Sqns. Pocklington Airfield |
Miscellaneous Information
John was born at Richard, Saskatchewan on 20 April 1920. His father, a grain buyer, was born at Morden, Manitoba and his mother was born in Lowestoft, Suffolk, England. They lived at Kipling, Saskatchewan. The schools he attended were Salisbury, Winnipeg 1928-1933, Rudyard Kipling 1933-1935 and again 1935-39. His hobbies were woodworking and amateur telegraphy, and the sports he took part in were boxing, hockey, softball and football. He had no occupation as was still a student and enlisted on 1 October 1940. |
After training John was posted to the U.K. and embarked from Canada on 23 October 1941 arriving at 3PRC on 4 November 1941. He was then at 19 OTU on 24 November 1941 and 405 Squadron on 3 May 1942. It was from there that John was sadly to lose his life on 27 July 1942. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1787/28 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1787/27 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 26-07-1942 |
End Date | 27-07-1942 |
Takeoff Station | Pocklington |
Day/Night Raid | Night (99% moon) |
Operation | Hamburg. 403 aircraft sustained 7.2% losses. Icing en route but target area clear, resulting in extensive damage mainly to residential areas. 823 houses demolished and over 5000 damaged |
Reason for Loss |